Bobcat X331 leaks around and inside turntable

[crazyjncsu]

I bought a X331 off a trader on craigslist. It was leaking when I tested it. I told him to fix the leaks and I'd buy it. His guy "fixed" the leaks ... possibly. He left so much hydraulic oil all over the place that it's been hard to tell how well he fixed things. I've tried to clean/degrease it a bit, but I don't have good access to water at the site where it's at. He's supposedly warrantying this thing against leaks for a month or so. So I need to figure out whether it's in good enough shape to keep.

Most days it doesn't seem to leave any oil behind. Then one day I'll see a few drips coming from the center of the machine (the machine didn't include the skid plate over this area).

It doesn't seem to be dripping when it's running.

The swivel joint seal _seems_ to be in good shape ... It seems oil would pool in this one place on top of the seal if it was leaking, and it's dry there.

I haven't ruled out all of the fittings into the swivel joint being leak-free. Need to try and degrease those more.

If I tilt the machine up 30 degrees with the boom (creating a lot of force on the turntable), I'll see a couple of drips of thinner-than-grease maybe a little milky fluid come of out the slew joint.

The two zerks on the front and back of the slew joint. Do both of those grease the slew bearing? Or does one try to grease the slew pinion and gear? If they don't grease the gear, how does it get greased? Is there supposed to be a controlled leak coming out of the bottom of the swing motor for lubrication?

How do the pictures look? Anything alarming?

Thanks!

 

[crewchief888]

about the only thing you can do, is make sure the hyd oil level is correct, and run the machine and see if the oil level drops.
it may be residual oil left over from the repaired leak.

 

[Rentalstop]

We had a Bobcat 425 with a leaking slew gearbox. The pic attached shows how the motor sits on the gearbox. The gear box is lubed by the hydraulic motor intentionally leaking into the gearbox. The gearbox has a line running back to the hydraulic tank. The seal on the bottom of the gearbox was leaking. Difficult to repair. Had it done offsite at 1400 hours. Leaking again at 1800 hours.
There should be a plate on the bottom/center of the undercarriage. Four bolts. Drop this panel carefully. Look at the slew gear, see if it's wet. It could be leaking more some days than others and not always dripping out the bottom. As said above, note the level and watch carefully.

 

[92U 3406]

2nd leaking swing gearbox.

Clean everything up best you can. No leaks from the swivel joint or any other hydraulic components in that area and it is very likely the lower seal on the swing box is leaking oil into the cavity.

 

[melli]

.......................
The two zerks on the front and back of the slew joint. Do both of those grease the slew bearing? Or does one try to grease the slew pinion and gear? If they don't grease the gear, how does it get greased? Is there supposed to be a controlled leak coming out of the bottom of the swing motor for lubrication?

How do the pictures look? Anything alarming?

Thanks!

The slew (house turntable) bearings and gears are greased with zerks above headlight (at least on my 331 that is where they are). The ones on turntable I have no clue. I have the plate underneath machine, and every couple of years I 'ought' to remove it, as the greasing of the bearings/gear results in spillage, and the plate weighs a ton because it has a guano mound of grease.

I'm with others here...clean it well so you can see if you have a leak. High point of oil will be the clue. And monitor reservoir oil level. I park level with arm extended and boom down and bucket open, flat to ground. This consistency allows me to check oil level, so I'll know if I have a leak.